The wisdom of A.W. Tozer continues to confound me. I wish I would have had the opportunity to learn directly from the man, but his books and sermons have left a rich legacy. Hear this from the wise preacher: “The faith of Christ will command or it will have nothing to do with a man. It will not yield to experimentation. Its power cannot reach any man who is secretly keeping an escape route open in case things get too tough for him.
The only man who can be sure he has true Bible faith is the one who has put himself in a position where he cannot go back. His faith has resulted in an everlasting and irrevocable committal, and however strongly he may be tempted he always replies, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life’ (John 6:68).” How often do we respond to the call of temptation (idolatry) with the words, “To whom shall we go?”
All too often we don’t ask, “To whom shall we go?” Instead, we decide to avoid the question and chase after whatever has caught our eye. Like Ulysses of old, we succumb to the siren’s song. Every song of temptation is a song of idolatry, for when we give in, we choose it over God. This will not stand. God will not tolerate the back seat. And why should He? You confessed Him as Lord but have instead made Him an object of convenience, a genie in the bottle for when things get a little rough. What song catches your ear? We’ve all got a favorite. Some have an entire list of greatest hits. Satan knows them all and is only too happy and willing to sing them for you.
When tempted, I encourage you to ask the “To whom shall we go?” question. Is what you are about to say, think, or do worth spitting in the face of Jesus? Is it worth pounding a spike into His hands? When we reject Christ, we join forces with the very ones who crucified Him. We are no different. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), but we laugh and mock Him. We choose the siren’s song. And Jesus? Well He’ll be there when we’re done, right? Oh, Father, forgive our callousness, forgive our flippancy, and most of all forgive our idolatry and rejection of You.
I can’t take it anymore. I can’t live like this. I want to say, like Paul, “To live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). I want nothing else. Nothing else matters anyway. Only Jesus. Only Him. No temptation is worth hurting Him. Nothing can excuse my rejection of His love. To whom shall we go if not Jesus? He is beyond compare. He is worthy of all praise and glory. We’ve allowed money, things, and pleasure to usurp His rightful throne in our hearts. None of these will save you. None have your best interests in mind. All of them will kill you. You must decide which way to turn. You get to decide where you will find your life. To whom will you go?